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Data Export Report Types and Other Export Options

Data Export — Report Types & Other Export Options

Article ID RC-EXPRT-05 — Data Export: Report Types & Other Export Options
Domain Exports, Reports & Stats
Applies To All REDCap project types; requires Data Export user rights
Prerequisite RC-EXPRT-01 — Data Export: Overview & Workflow
Version 1.0
Last Updated 2025
Author See KB-SOURCE-ATTESTATION.md
Related Topics RC-EXPRT-01 — Data Export: Overview & Workflow; RC-EXPRT-03 — Data Export: User Rights & Export Access; RC-EXPRT-04 — Data Export: De-identification & Formatting Options

1. Overview

This article describes the types of reports available in REDCap's Data Exports, Reports, and Stats application — what each one exports and when to use it — as well as the additional bulk export options available under the Other Export Options tab. Report type determines which records and variables are included in an export. Export format and de-identification options are applied after the report is selected.

2. Key Concepts & Definitions

Report

A defined selection of records and variables to export. REDCap provides two built-in reports (All Data and Selected Instruments/Events) that are always present. Any number of custom reports can be created by users with the Add/Edit/Organize Reports right and are listed below the built-in reports.

All Data Report

The built-in report that exports every record and every variable in the project at the time of export. It is always the first report listed and requires no configuration.

Selected Instruments/Events Report

The built-in report that allows the user to choose a subset of instruments to export. In longitudinal projects, one or more events must also be selected. This report does not filter by record — it exports all records for the chosen instruments and events.

Custom Report

A user-defined report that can filter by individual variables, apply logic conditions, restrict visibility to specific users, and organize results in a custom order. Custom reports require the Add/Edit/Organize Reports user right to create or edit. Once created, they appear in the report list and in the left-hand menu for quick access.

Other Export Options

A separate tab at the top of the Data Exports, Reports, and Stats page that provides bulk export options not available through the standard report workflow — including full project XML backup, bulk file download, PDF of all records, and Tableau integration.

3. Built-in Report Types

3.1 All Data

Exports the complete dataset — every record, every instrument, every variable — at the current point in time. This is the quickest path to a full project export and requires no configuration beyond selecting an export format.

  • Use when you need a complete snapshot of all project data.

  • User's Data Export Rights still apply — instruments where the user has No Access are excluded.

  • DAG membership still limits which records are included.

3.2 Selected Instruments and/or Events

Allows the user to select one or more instruments to include in the export. All records are included for the selected instruments — this report does not filter by record.

  • Use when you need data from specific instruments without exporting the entire project.

  • In longitudinal projects, at least one event must also be selected. The export includes only the instrument-event combinations that are chosen.

  • Useful for sharing data from a single instrument with an external collaborator without exposing the full dataset.

4. Custom Reports

4.1 What Custom Reports Can Do

Custom reports extend beyond the built-in options by allowing fine-grained control over what is included in an export.

Capability Description
Variable selection Choose individual variables to include rather than entire instruments.
Record filtering by logic Apply a REDCap logic expression to include only records that meet specific criteria (e.g., only consented participants, only records with a specific diagnosis).
User visibility control Restrict the report so it only appears for specific users or user roles.
Left-menu shortcut Custom reports automatically appear in the left-hand menu for quick access, in addition to the report list.
Folder organization Reports can be organized into named folders in the left-hand menu. Use folders when a project has accumulated many reports to keep navigation manageable.

4.2 Creating and Editing Custom Reports

Creating and editing custom reports requires the Add/Edit/Organize Reports user right. This right is independent of Data Export Rights. A user can have the ability to create reports without being able to export the resulting data, and vice versa. See RC-EXPRT-03 — Data Export: User Rights & Export Access for details on rights levels.

Note: Detailed guidance on creating and configuring custom reports is covered in a separate training. This article covers report types from an export perspective only.

5. Other Export Options

The Other Export Options tab at the top of the Data Exports, Reports, and Stats page provides bulk export options that operate at the project level rather than at the report level. These options are infrequently used but serve specific purposes.

Option What it does & when to use it
Export entire project as REDCap XML Exports the complete project — instrument definitions, data, and configuration — as a single XML file. This is the most comprehensive backup option available. The resulting file can be used to recreate the entire project in a new REDCap instance. More complete than a Data Dictionary download, which only captures instrument structure.
ZIP file of uploaded files (all records) Downloads all files uploaded through File Upload field types across all records as a single ZIP archive. Standard data exports do not include uploaded files. Use this when you need to bulk-download participant-uploaded documents, images, or other files. May take significant time to generate on large projects.
PDF of data collection instruments with saved data (all records) Generates a single PDF containing every record's data across all instruments, formatted as filled-in forms. Useful for audits, regulatory submissions, or human-readable archives. File size and generation time can be substantial for large projects. A PDF of a single record can also be downloaded from within the record itself.
Tableau Export Connects REDCap directly to Tableau for data visualization. Requires Tableau and uses the REDCap API. Considered an advanced feature — consult your REDCap support team before using.

Note: Standard data exports (CSV, SPSS, R, etc.) do not include files uploaded through File Upload fields. If your project uses file upload fields and you need those files, use the ZIP file of uploaded files option under Other Export Options.

6. Common Questions

What is the difference between All Data and Selected Instruments? All Data exports every instrument and every variable in the project for all records. Selected Instruments lets you choose specific instruments to include — useful when you only need a subset of the data. Both include all records you have access to.
I need to export data from only consented participants. Which report type should I use? A custom report with a logic filter applied (e.g., [consent_status]='1'). The built-in All Data and Selected Instruments reports do not filter by record. You need the Add/Edit/Organize Reports right to create a custom report.
Can I export uploaded files (PDFs, images) through a standard data export? No. Standard exports (CSV, SPSS, etc.) do not include files uploaded through File Upload fields. Use the ZIP file of uploaded files option under Other Export Options to bulk-download all uploaded files.
What is the REDCap XML export and how is it different from a Data Dictionary download? The REDCap XML export includes the full project — instrument structure, data, and configuration settings. A Data Dictionary download includes only the instrument and variable definitions. Use the XML export for a complete project backup; use the Data Dictionary for instrument structure only.
My project has many custom reports and the left menu is cluttered. What can I do? Organize reports into folders. Folders are created by naming them consistently and grouping reports under each name. Users with the Add/Edit/Organize Reports right can manage folder organization. This is covered in the custom reports training.
Does a custom report export all records or only filtered ones? Only filtered ones, if a logic filter is applied. If no filter is set, the custom report exports all records you have access to for the selected variables.

7. Common Mistakes & Gotchas

Using All Data when only a subset is needed. Exporting the full dataset when only one instrument's data is required shares more data than necessary and produces larger files. Use Selected Instruments or a custom report to limit the export scope.

Expecting standard exports to include uploaded files. Files attached via File Upload fields are not included in CSV, SPSS, or other standard exports. Use the ZIP file of uploaded files option under Other Export Options if you need those files.

Accumulating too many unorganized custom reports. Projects with many custom reports can have cluttered left-hand menus and report lists. Organize reports into folders and remove reports that are no longer needed. This requires the Add/Edit/Organize Reports right.

Confusing the REDCap XML export with a Data Dictionary download. The Data Dictionary (CSV) captures instrument and variable structure only. The REDCap XML export captures the full project including data. Use the XML export for complete backups; use the Data Dictionary for instrument structure management.

API Access

Note: The following REDCap API methods provide programmatic access to this functionality. API usage is an advanced feature that requires knowledge of computer programming or access to a developer resource. See RC-API-01 — REDCap API for authentication, token management, and setup.